Becoming a Millionaire
in the Public Sector –
Without Corruption
A bold model that rewards civil servants and NGOs
for achieving real, measurable societal impact.
The Problem
Many reforms that could bring
massive benefits to society
remain stuck ...
No leverage
between institutions
Large reforms require cooperation between multiple institutions, yet one official has no tools to influence others.
Political
instability
Every new government shifts priorities, pushing long-term projects aside.
No personal
motivation or reward
Civil servants take all the risks but receive no personal gain.
The Insight
Like in the private sector,
the public sector needs financial
incentives to ...
- Encourage innovation
- Take smart risks
- Align personal and public interests
The Solution
The Wicklow Model
leverages performance rewards
against measurable change
How it works
- Define a clear societal problem and success goal
- Set up a success-fee fund (e.g., from reserve funds)
- Track contributions transparently
- Pay rewards only after the goal is verified
Officials get rewarded only if a measurable goal is achieved
The 0/1 principle: either success or no reward
Designed for complex, cross-agency reforms
Wicklow model
The 3 key players
| Role | Who | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Government Institutions / NGOs | Project leads | Define goal, drive execution |
| High-Risk Sponsors | Innovators, philanthropists | Fund upfront work, recoup if successful |
| Low-Risk Sponsors | Finance ministries, impact investors | Release reward only on success |
Ready-made digital
platform to implement
the Wicklow Model:
- Transparent reward distribution
- Contribution tracking
- Dashboards & insights
- Contributor marketplace
Reward process flowchart
About
We can keep talking about reform or try something that actually
works.
The Wicklow Model is an award-winning idea by Taavi Kotka, Estonia’s former CIO and digital reform pioneer.
It’s a radical yet fair system: civil servants and innovators are rewarded only when measurable societal change is delivered.
No results, no reward. Simple as that.
European CIO of the year
ICT Spring
Premier 100 Technology Leaders
Computerworld
The order of the White Class Star III class
President of Estonia
Entrepreneur of the Year
Ernst & Young
Thinkers 20: The Brightest Business Minds in Northern Europe
Nordic Business Report
Ready to reform?
Let’s talk about applying the
Wicklow Model to your next big idea.